Gan Hashlosha National Park הַפַּרְק הַלְּאֻמִּי גַּן הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁה –

Last Saturday, I found myself resting under the shade of huge oleander plants (הַרְדּוּף) watching a couple of pigeons nesting just in the right angle for me to observe. The kids were sliding on a narrow canal just on top of a magnificent waterfall and my husband swam in a 100-meter (~1 yard) semi-natural pool until he arrived at a huge-long black waterfall were he could enjoy a nice water massage. It all happened at the National Park  located on the eastern part of Israel at the foot of Mount Gilbo’a, in the Beyt-She’an valley.

This National Park was initiated by water springs that flows all-year-round with a constant temperature of 28 degrees centigrade (82.4^oF). Like almost every place in our area, this site has a long history that can be traced to the prehistoric era as well as the biblical time )as can be seen in the Museum of Regional and Mediterranean Archeology  located in one corner of the park(. In the 14th century, Rabbi Ishtori Haparchi described in his book of “Bulb and Flower” (kaftor vaperax, כַּפְתּוֹר וַפֶּרַח) this place as the doors to the Garden of Eden. We tend to agree with him.

The valley was abandoned for hundreds of years and was flooded by the water from the springs. In the 1930s, Jewish settlers arrived at the valley, dried the swamps, cleaned the spring beds and began farming the fertile land and build settlements. In 1938, three men who were active in settling and defending the area traveled when their car went over a road mine. The Gan Hashlosha (the Garden of the Three, גַּן הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁה) National Park is named after these men: Dr. David Mosensohn, Aharon Etkin, and Haim Sturman.

 The Amal creek (נַחַל עָמָל) traverses the length of the Park and the spring water is collected in three natural pools (that were enlarged), and create waterfalls and natural Jacuzzis. The naturally warm water allows swimming all-year-round. Hence, the name of the place in Arabic is “saxne” which means warm. The riverbanks have well-tended lawns and a landscaped garden with exquisite flowering shrubs, palms and olive trees that make this place a true oasis.

The “Time Magazine” selected this park as “one of the world’s most intriguing spots.” We won’t argue with them!

The Hebrew Corner פִּנַּת הָעִבְרִית

 Pictures by Shira Cohen-Regev

You may click this link to watch a virtual tour of the Saxne:
http://www.tourwise.co.il/virtualTours/?tour=138_HE

And to see more pictures of this magnificent spot: http://www.pbase.com/doronnissim/gan_hashlosha_national_park_sahne

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